


Goodnight, See You Soon

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Series: Robin Reversal AU [20]
Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-17
Updated: 2016-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 05:52:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6272419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He didn’t know this would be the last time he saw him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodnight, See You Soon

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a [headcanon earlier this evening](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/141175363787/silly-idea-for-your-reverse-age-au-think-of-a), and then that little mini-plot in the AU about Colin disappearing for a few years. This is sad, but then it’s not because if you read [these](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/129817649022/i-has-prompt-if-youd-like-robin-reversal-damian) [three](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/130019379632/the-robin-reversal-with-colin-hit-me-right-in-the) [TSFs](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/post/116075578637/robin-reversal-au-with-colin-wilkes-dami-and), you know what happens and it’s all wonderful! :D Colin and Damian don’t ever get together in this AU, though. But they do remain the best of friends, for all eternity. In this fic, Colin was just visiting for the evening, and Dick fell asleep watching TV and eavesdropping on his guardian and friend.

Damian didn’t look at him.

“Stop it.”

He could hear the grin in Colin’s voice, even as he took another drink. “Stop what?”

“Smiling. _Thinking_.” Damian sighed, gently tugging the blankets out of the little boy’s hands, turning and shutting the television off across the room. “This is not _cute_.”

“It actually really is.” Colin countered, slamming the empty whiskey glass back onto the kitchen counter. “I mean, if only the papers could see you now. Dami Wayne – heir to a fortune, living in the penthouse of the famed Wayne Tower…being as domestic as a fucking suburban _dad_.”

“Quiet,” Damian scolded, pointing threateningly in Colin’s direction. “And I swear to the gods above, Colin Wilkes, if _he_ hears you and starts using that language, I’m kicking your ass.”

“Ooooh, I’m so scared.” Colin laughed, sliding off the barstool. He slowly approached, watching as Damian tenderly lifted the child from the sofa. Guided his head to rest against his shoulder, even as he maneuvered those tiny legs around his waist. Dick stirred only a little bit, to nuzzle at Damian’s throat and flop his arms around his guardian’s neck.

Damian rubbed gently at his back until he was settled in his grip once more, then quietly moved towards the hallway. Colin trailed eagerly after him.

He didn’t cross the threshold, though. Once they reached Dick’s bedroom, he remained at the door, leaning on the frame. A spectator to this aspect of Damian’s life, not a participant.

Colin watched as Damian swayed across the room. Listened as Damian hummed a tune – the _one_ tune, the _only_ one his friend seemed to know. He pulled the blankets back, softly deposited Dick onto the mattress, and pulled them back up. He didn’t just leave after that, though, like many of the general public would probably have guessed he would. Oh, no, he then sat on the edge of the bed, ran his fingers through Dick’s hair and spoke quietly with the child.

Dick was still awake, eyes barely open. He didn’t answer with any voice of his own, just a nod or a head shake. _No, I don’t want any water. Yes, I want the nightlight. Yes, please leave the door open._

Damian didn’t kiss him goodnight. Just held his shoulder for a moment, before standing. He crossed the room, flicking on the nightlight plugged into the wall next to the window, then came back to towards the door, silently waving Colin back. Colin listened to the order, stepping back until Damian was back in the hall, pulling the door almost closed behind him. He left it at a crack, and glanced through it one more time, just to make absolute _sure_ Dick was okay, before letting the tension drain out of his shoulders.

“You’re right. This isn’t cute. Not at all.” Colin whispered, when he sensed Damian’s satisfaction. Damian turned and blinked up at him. “This is downright _precious_.”

Damian immediately frowned, and shoved past him, walking back towards the kitchen. “Don’t start.”

“Oh, why not?” Colin asked, following after him. “It’s a compliment!”

“It is not. You’re just being childish on _purpose_.” Damian threw over his shoulder, even as they popped back into the penthouse’s front room. “And you wonder why I never invite you over anymore.”

“Aww, someone’s grumpy. Need another beer, Batman?” Colin cackled, and Damian just scoffed, though he could see a smile playing at his friend’s lips.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to pass on that one.”

“Oh yeah?” Colin pushed, coming up on Damian’s back. “Well then how about a _kiss_ instead?”

It was a joke. The same joke as always. The kind of joke that never really was a joke in the first place.

That tension returned to Damian’s shoulders as he spun around, looked wildly up into Colin’s eyes. Colin didn’t back off though, just like he never did, all the other times they ended up like this.

After all. Batman had Catwoman. Bruce had Selina. And Talia, and, depending on who you asked, Clark Kent.

But Nightwing had Abuse. Damian had Colin.

Damian just stared and Colin just smiled, shifted forward just a little bit more, began to lean down, and part his lips. And Damian just watched him, blue eyes wide, even when they glanced down at Colin’s mouth.

And he was almost there, could practically _taste_ Damian’s breath, when the other turned away.

“We can’t.” Damian whispered, even as Colin continued forward anyway, and planted his lips against Damian’s cheek instead. Lingered there, closed his eyes, reached for Damian’s hips, before pulling his face away, just enough to brush his nose against Damian’s skin. “… _I_ can’t.”

“You _can_.” Colin promised into his flesh. “You’re your own man, Damian. You can do whatever you _want_.”

He felt Damian bow his head, shake it, and lean his weight into Colin’s chest.

“…You don’t have to do it.” Colin breathed.  “You don’t have to be Batman.”

“I do.” Damian returned, his voice _wrecked_ , and remorseful. “You _know_ I do.”

“I know you _don’t_.” Colin pushed. “I know he _never_ wanted you to.”

Damian could only shake his head again.

“I was there when you listened to that will, Damian. I heard your father’s exact words. He wanted you to _move on_ , he didn’t want you to be…to be _this_.” He paused. “To be _him_.”

“But I owe that to him.” Damian returned. “Everything I have – even _you_ – he gave me. The least I could do is follow in his footsteps. Protect the city he loved _so_ _much_ , just as he did.”

Now it was Colin shaking his head. Shaking it so hard, he was probably causing an uncomfortable friction against Damian’s cheek. But Damian didn’t pull away.

“We can still leave.” He tried. “Travel, like we used to talk about. You and me. Start over somewhere else. Leave Gotham behind.”

Damian sighed, and, now, he tried to pull back. “But Grayson needs-”

“He can come with us.” Colin continued, almost excitedly, as he dragged his hands up Damian’s sides, and clung to the bend of his arms. “We can raise him, you and me. Find a quiet suburb with a good school. You can teach or open a shelter or veterinary clinic. Dick can play football, or do track, or…or _marching band_ , if he really wanted to.”

Damian looked up at him, and Colin couldn’t remember a time he’d ever seen his best friend so sad.

“We can be a family.” Colin pleaded. “We can buy a little house, I’ll get you as many dogs as you want. We can be happy, Damian. We can be saf-”

“I can’t.” Damian whispered. “Colin… _we can’t_.”

Colin paused, and leaned back.

“I love you.” Damian continued. “You _know_ I love you, more than…than anyone on the planet.” He stopped, and looked at the ground. “You are my best friend, and that will never change, so long as I’m breathing.”

The lone tear running down Damian’s face shimmered in Gotham’s lights.

“But…I can’t.” Damian’s shoulders slumped. “As much as I want to, I…I have a responsibility now. To my father, to this city. To Grayson, to the Justice League. To the _world_ , even.”

Colin just watched him.

“The world cannot be without a Batman.” Damian looked up, eyes glowing, full of unshed tears, of tears Colin knew he would never cry. “And I am the only one qualified to fill his shoes.”

Colin stared. Debated what would happen, if he dove in for that kiss anyway. Pinned Damian against the glass of those obnoxious floor-to-ceiling windows and literally sucked the air from his lungs.

“I don’t _want_ to be Batman.” Damian admitted. “I _have_ to be.”

Instead, Colin released Damian’s arms, backed up a step.

“You know,” He said slowly. “…I was relieved, when Batman died.”

Damian’s eyes widened.

“Because I thought that maybe, for once, that would mean you’d be free. Free to do what you wanted, make your own decisions. That you would be _allowed_ to be _happy_.” Colin chuckled, but it was hollow. “But, even though he didn’t mean to, he has just as bad a stranglehold on you now as when he was alive, doesn’t he?”

Damian didn’t respond. Just closed his parted lips and looked away.

“…That sucks.” Colin decided. He pulled a cell phone out of his pocket, and glanced at the time. Almost one-thirty in the morning. “But. You know what? I better get going. Get out of your hair before I _really_ say something stupid.” Damian looked nervously up at him. “…There’s a new shipment of AKs coming, down at the docks in Bludhaven at five. And there’s nothing like stopping crime at the source, right?”

He turned away, going for his jacket slung across the corner of the counter.  He grabbed its sleeve, dragged it off the surface and headed towards the door.

“Colin.”

He stopped. Turned his head.

“…I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Colin said instantly, turning all the way around. He took a moment, to just…take Damian in. Standing there, all by himself. Strong build, handsome face. Fragile mind. He smiled. “I understand. Really.”

“…I wish things were different.” Damian continued, even as Colin came back across the floor. “I wish we _could_.”

“I know.”

Damian’s voice was barely a breath. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Colin promised, reaching up and holding Damian’s face with both hands. Tilting it just so, so he could plant that kiss to Damian’s forehead. “I mean, as your best friend, I kind of _have_ to, you know?”

Damian attempted a smile. “Be careful out there, okay?”

“Always am, aren’t I?” Colin laughed, stroking Damian’s cheek only once, before going back towards the door. “Tell Dick goodnight for me. And let him eat all the sugary cereal he wants in the morning.”

“I will.” Damian said, much more seriously than Colin anticipated. “Come back soon.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I’m back in Gotham limits.” Colin swore. “Might be a couple days, Wednesday at the latest, but. I will. Promise.” He reached the door, and swung it open. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

“I hope you don’t.” Damian returned, giving a quick, quiet wave.

Colin grinned. Bright and infectious and beautiful. “See you later, _Batman_.”

He closed the door gently behind him.

And Damian was grateful, because that smile, that humour - it turned out to be the last memory Damian had of him.

Because he never called.

And Colin Wilkes never came back.

**Author's Note:**

> [Other Robin Reversal AU stories](http://fishfingersandjellybabies.tumblr.com/tagged/robin-reversal-au)   
> 


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